Somalia likely to have a full Lockdown as Covid-19 Cases Rise.

Somalia’s health Minister Dr. Fawziya Abikar has on Monday warned that the COVID-19 situation in Somalia is ‘dire’. She called for strict adherence to health measures to combat the disease as the country records an over 10% positivity rate for about a month now.

Dr. Abikar said in a tweet that her Ministry has advised for a second lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. “Please maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings at all costs. The situation is dire but we are confident that with the roll-out of vaccines in the near future we will be able to manage this second wave,” Dr. Abikar said.

She attributed the containment of the first wave last year to restrictions imposed by the government.

“The first outbreak was managed largely thanks to a lockdown and closure of all school and universities. We have again submitted and advised for these same restrictions and measures.”Dr. Fawziya said.

She urged parents not to send their children to school and called for adherence to health measures such as social distancing and avoiding large crowds. The government closed down schools mid last month for two weeks as the second wave of the disease made landfall.

On Friday 266 people tested positive for COVID-19 out of a sample size of 1,807 beinging the number of confirmed cases to 7,257. Six more people died adding the fatalities to 239 while 3,808 have recovered.